HUND477 Professional Placement

A professional placement, based on placements in a number of District Health Board
(DHB) and other settings in both the North and South Islands.

Professional placements provide students with an opportunity to integrate evidenced-based
theory and professional practice in applied clinical nutrition, food service management
and public health nutrition. The Professional Placement paper involves placements
in District Health Boards (DHBs), Primary Health organisations and Public Health organisations
across New Zealand. The placements provide experience across three domains of dietetic
practice (clinical nutrition, food service management and public health nutrition),
and students are required to complete a variety of competency-based activities and
assessments during placement time. Students are supported by tutors employed by the
University of Otago and a range of supervisors, including registered dietitians, public
health nutritionists and food service managers.

Prior to applying for entry into the Master of Dietetics Programme, students should
have completed a BCApSc, BAppSc or a BSc in Human Nutrition. To undertake HUND 477
Professional Placement, students will need to pass all first-year Master of Dietetics
papers (HUND 471, 472, 473, 475 and 5A).

Professional placements in clinical nutrition across a range
of settings. Examples of activities and assessment include: observing and working
alongside clinical dietitians; carrying out nutrition consults; facilitating group
nutrition education sessions; completing clinical case studies

Professional
placements in food service management. Examples of activities and assessment include:
observing and working alongside food service dietitians, managers and workers; contributing
to food service management project work

Professional placements in public
health nutrition. Examples of activities and assessment include: observing and working
alongside public health dietitians, nutritionists and health promoters; contributing
to public health nutrition project work

Teaching Arrangements

This second-year Master of Dietetics paper is taught in both the first semester and
the second semester. Attendance is compulsory.

The semester is made up
of placements in a range of clinical nutrition settings, a food service management
setting and a public health dietetics setting.

Textbooks

All Master of Dietetics first-year essential text and lecture material.